Though We May Fall
by marehami
Summary: The young royals know that when they face Vor there's a chance they might fall...what happens if one of them does? (MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH)
1. Chapter 1

"You do have a plan, don't you Sofia?" Amber asked as she and her sister sheathed their way back inside _their_ castle.

"I think so," Sofia whispered.

Amber gulped, "is there any way we could change that _I think so_ to an _I know so?"_

"'Afraid not…you don't have to do this you know? It's going to be dangerous."

"All the more reason for me to go. This is our kingdom and my future subjects she's messing with!"

Amber managed to smile at her sister, "besides, you need me to stand by your side and that's what I'm going to do."

Sofia smiled back before entering the throne room where they both knew Vor was, "cause that's just who you are."

The two snuck behind furniture so not to be spotted as Vor monologue her evil scheme for the EverRealm and beyond.

Amber, the constant planner, soon discovered a rope she could use to give her animal sidekicks the curtains.

When she went to pull it however, something terrible happened.

Wormwood caught site of her and managed to alert Vor of her presence.

When Vor saw the blonde princess she knew exactly what to do.

Before Sofia could do anything Vor snapped Amber and sent her to the ground. The poor princess didn't even have time to scream.

"AMBER!" Sofia screamed as she simply threw her amulet at the monster hoping that it's pure magic would know how to handle such wickedness.

Her intuition was right, even without explicitly saying so; the amulet understood that this evil ended now.

Vor was sucked into the amulet, and the kingdom returned to normal.

But at what cost?

"AMBER! Amber! Amber! Please wake up Amber! PLEASE!" Sofia wailed as she desperately shook Amber's body. Her beautiful hazel eyes were still opened wide in horror.

But Amber didn't wake up…Amber couldn't wake up. The princess of Enchancia was dead.

At that moment the rest of the family came rushing in.

"AMBER!" Roland shouted as he made a mad dash to his daughter's side.

"Amber? Amber, honey? C'mon princess…wake up…everything will be alright…daddy's here now," the king soothed as his voice cracked and tears flowed from his face.

James looked at his sister with this _traumatized_ look on his face. He had learned about all types of dangers from his knight classes, but he had never seen a dead body before. Not only that, but the body of his twin.

"BAILEYWICK SUMMON A DOCTOR NOW!" Roland ordered desperately.

The steward looked heartbroken at the king he had known for so long. The man he would do anything to please, but he knew this time he couldn't get his majesty what he wanted…and it killed him.

Tears filled his eyes as he knelt by the king's side, "Your majest….Roland, she's gone."

"NO! Cedric! Cedric there must be a spell! _ANY_ spell! Please! I'll pay any price to get my daughter back!"

Cedric would pay any price to get his old friend, turned enemy, turned friend again, what he wanted. Sorcerer magic has its limits though, and death is a big one.

"I'm…I'm sorry your majesty…. truly I am," he said bowing his head in shame.

"NO! I WON'T LOSE HER! I CAN'T LOSE HER TOO! _I CAN'T!_ " His voiced was cracking and he was losing his royal composure fast.

At this point Tily and Grand mum had managed to make it inside the throne room to find the grizzly scene.

Tily instantly rushed to Sofia's side, the poor princess look shell-shocked.

"Sofia! Sofia? What happened!? Where's Vor?"

Hearing the name of the monster that had taken her sister away made something inside Sofia snap.

"VOR!? VOR'S WHO YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT RIGHT NOW!? AMBER IS _DEAD_ AUNT TILY! VOR TOOK MY BIG SISTER AWAY FROM ME! I WAS-I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PROTECTOR…BUT I COULDN'T EVEN PROTECT MY OWN FAMILY!"

The young princess collapsed from the great weight of responsibility that had been placed on her tiny shoulders, and what that responsibility had cost her.

Miranda wanted to go over and comfort her daughter, but her husband was still trying to awaken their other daughter who would never awaken again.

"Rolly…" tears streamed down Miranda's face as she stared at her stepdaughter. She had promised to be a good stepmother to her and James, and she had failed. She couldn't protect her…she felt like such a failure as a mother.

She tenderly used her hand to close the eyes of her daughter, knowing they would never open again.


	2. Chapter 2

The royal family remained huddled in their raw grief for God only knows how long until O'Ryan and the other protectors rushed the throne room.

Seeing them filled Sofia's pure and slightly naïve heart with a glimmer of hope. A doctor and a sorcerer might not be able to save her sister, but the protectors were the most powerful beings in the land.

"O'Ryan! O'Ryan please help! My sister Amber, she needs you!" Sofia pleaded desperately.

At that moment a burst of glowing green light came from the amulet on the floor. Miranda rushed to gather James and Sofia in her arms, she wasn't losing any more children.

"Princess Sofia, what exactly happened with Vor?" O'Ryan asked urgently.

Sofia was frustrated that everyone seemed more concerned with Vor then her own sister, but she convinced herself they would help Amber as soon as the issue resolved.

'A-Amber was the one who went ahead of me…trying to protect me…she tried to get the animals, but-but Wormwood alerted Vor and then…" Sofia put her head in her hands and sobbed as she glanced over at her sister's body.

Cedric looked like he wanted to fry Wormwood on the spot, but he figured there had been enough death for today.

O'Ryan appeared to be in deep thought when he suddenly got an idea.

"There is no greater act of love or sacrifice then to lay down one's life for those she loves…it's an act strong enough to drive out the darkest evil," he said as he picked up Sofia's amulet and tenderly placed it around the cold neck of Princess Amber.

When he did a great beam of white light came down and engulfed Amber in it. Her body lifted a few feet off the ground. Roland tried to catch her for fear that she would physically float away.

A few moments later she descended and from out of the amulet Prisma appeared.

"YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! SHE KILLED MY SISTER!" Sofia shouted hysterically as she tried to rush the harmless woman.

Hearing Sofia's words Roland drew his sword, fully prepared to avenge his baby girl, when the protectors formed a barrier.

"We will return her to the Mystic Isles, where she will be severely punished," O'Ryan assured.

"PUNISHED?" Roland and Miranda shouted. How dare these perfect strangers come in and _punish_ the person who took their daughter away from them?

Punishment is not getting dessert for roughhousing in the castle, or losing riding privileges for getting caught eating in bed. Prisma deserved an eternity of suffering…after all eternal suffering had befallen the royal family.

"I-I never meant for this to happen," Prisma tried to explain as she glanced at the body of the dead child.

Sofia had always prided herself on being a pacivist, but she had never wanted someone dead as much as she wanted Prisma dead. She had been taught the importance of mercy at Royal Prep, but that was always used in the context of one kingdom hurting the feelings of another kingdom, this hurt was far deeper.

It did give her an idea that might help bring her some closure.

"You can take her, but there's something else I need you to bring with her," she said as she ran off.

She returned with a piece of paper. On the paper was a portrait that had been taken of the three royal children during a summer picnic. James had watermelon on his face and Sofia was making a silly face which had eroded Amber's typically professional demeanor to a girl who was laughing belly-laughs.

"I want this in the most prominent place in her cell, so that every day she has to wake up and see my sister…the beautiful princess and future queen of Enchancia…that she took from us."

The protectors could only give her a curt nod as two of them led her away.

Sofia looked up at O'Ryan with a pleading pair of eyes, "isn't there anything you can do for my sister?"

O'Ryan was considered the wisest and bravest of the protectors, but looking into those innocent eyes of a child destined for too much greatness at too young of an age for her own good, he knew he couldn't lie to her.

"No Princess Sofia…Amber's gone…for good."


	3. Chapter 3

News of Princess Amber's death sent a wave of grief throughout Enchancia and the entire ever realms. The thought of someone so young sacrificing her life for her people resonated with people from all over.

"She would have loved this," James whispered as he watched as carriages carried mourners from far and wide.

He looked into the eyes of his surviving sister as they filled with tears, "I never apologized you know?"

"For what?" Sofia inquired.

"The night of your inaugural ball I got angry at Amber…I told her that everyone liked you better than her…even me."

Sofia was surprised hearing this. Her and Amber's rocky start as sisters was well known, but for all that Sofia gained after her mom married her dad, she didn't consider that Amber had to lose many things. It couldn't have been easy. It didn't excuse her behavior, but it did explain it.

"She changed a lot…she helped me grow in ways that I can't describe. She gave me part of her confidence, which helped make me who I am today…I don't think I ever directly told her how much that meant to me."

The two children wiped their eyes for lost chances.

Suddenly Sofia noticed something, and she knew how she might be able to show Amber what she meant to her without the words.

The two went into the dressing area where Amber's body was being prepared for viewing.

She looked more beautiful than she ever had. Her hair was styled and she had her most sparkly tiara. Her lips were colored rose red and her cheeks were a soft pink blush color.

"I hope you know I'm sorry Amber, and that I don't like Sofia better anymore. It will always be you and me, me and you…two by two," the young prince kissed his sisters forehead. It didn't wake her like in the fairytales their dad used to tell them. It caused the poor boy to quietly cry.

Sofia looked up at her father, who still looked broken beyond repair.

"Dad?" she whispered.

Hearing the term snapped Roland out of his darkness for just a moment, he still had two living children he couldn't fail.

"I know…I know I promised that I would never take the amulet off, but…I don't think I wa…I don't think I need it anymore," she said quietly.

Roland could only nod, knowing what his precious daughter wanted to do.

Sofia slowly approached the bed. Her hands shook as she physically removed the amulet and placed it around her sister's neck.

"I know how badly you wanted your own amulet Amber…and well, you really have earned this. Thank you for being the best big sister I could have ever asked for."

When she stepped back James whispered, "but that amulet gave you so many powers…it was part of who you are…part of who you were gonna become."

Like the rest of her family James didn't fully understand the power of Sofia's amulet, or the whole protector thing, but he knew that it was extremely important to her.

"I can't become a protector James…I couldn't protect what was most important to me, and I just can't bear that responsibility right now."

The boy appeared deep in thought. It was one of the farthest thoughts from his mind, but the reality was that with Amber gone, changes in the plans of the royal children needed to take place.

Roland seemed to notice this in his children, "Son, I know this is a lot to bear right now but with Amber-" he couldn't make the words.

"You are technically next in line for the throne."

James looked like he had a million emotions running through his brain; heartbreak, guilt, doubt…but mainly fear.

"I-I" the boy couldn't make words.  
"I think that Amber would want James to be a knight. It was the first thing she wanted to do as Queen-" Sofia began to cry as she realized that Amber would never be coroneted as the Queen she dreamed of being.

Roland looked at his daughter, who had grown so much as a young woman. He knew no matter what he said that his children had made up their minds.

"Well then, Sofia, you are next in line. Should you decide to accept, you will become Queen of Enchancia when the time comes.

The girl could only nod.

"I also think it's a good idea for you to greet your future subjects…at the funeral. You can make the official announcement."

The poor young girl was still unsure, but she knew she owed it to Amber to try.

A light drizzle fell as people took their seats in the palace courtyard for the service. Baileywick spoke first thanking everyone for coming and praising Amber's courage. He was followed by Miranda and Roland, who spoke of their daughter as both a leader in the spotlight, and a delightful and outgoing girl at home. They wanted people to view Amber from both sides of who she was. James got up and spoke about growing up side by side with Amber, and how honored he was to be her other half.

Finally it was Sofia's turn as the young princess took the podium.

"When I found out I was getting Amber as a stepsister I was so excited. She was so beautiful and popular and amazing. When we first met things weren't always easy (no need speaking about Amber's past now), but soon she was one of my best friends and the best sister I could ever ask for.

The Amber I knew was brave and she was quick thinking and diplomatic, but above all Amber was loyal. She put her life on the line so many times and often was overshadowed, but that never stopped her from trying, I admired that about her so very much.

It was that loyalty that lead to today, when faced with danger the Amber I knew and loved fought bravely and saved the entire kingdom.

She was prepared to become the type of Queen that spent all her life serving her subjects."

The young girl had to take a few deep breaths before continuing.

"She gave up that dream…and her life today. I feel the best I can do to carry on that legacy and become the type of Queen she would want to be. The type of Queen that would make the great Amber the first proud."


End file.
